Side tables for chairs



Feb. 6, 1968 E. H. STONE SIDE "TABLES FOR CHAIRS Filed Feb. 1, 1966 United States Patent 3,367,714 SIDE TABLES FOR CHAIRS Edward H. Stone, 2247 Workley Road, Apt. 25, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Filed Feb. 1, 1966, Ser. No. 524,245 1 'Claim. (Cl. 297-194) The present invention relates to lawn chairs and the like having side table's therefor, which are removably secured thereto.

The general object of the present invention resides in the provision of a sidetable which can be removably secured to a laWn chain-or the like, which is of simple and inexpensive construction and arranged such that it can be firmly secured tothe lawn chair without danger of the side table assembly becoming unintentionally detached from the chair under the weight of the articles on the side table or otherwise.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a side table of the character described, comprising a support panel removably attached to the side of a lawn chair and a tray supported by said panel and easily detachable therefrom, such that the tray can be detached from the panel which remains in position on the chair, and the tray can'be easily and quickly anchored to the supporting panel.

The foregoing and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent during the following disclosure and by referring to the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of a lawn chair fitted with a first embodiment of the side table in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the lawn chair and of the first embodiment of the side table;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-section of the side table, taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a partial side elevation of a lawn chair with a second embodiment in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 5 is a partial side elevation of a lawn chair fitted with a third embodiment of the side table in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-section of a fourth embodiment of the removable side table; and

FIGURE 7 is a side elevation of the fourth embodiment of the side table.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings in which like reference characters indicate like elements throughout, the conventional lawn chair shown in FIG- URE 1, in side view, is made of a tubular framework comprising lateral horizontally disposed members 1 which are part of the seat frame, and front and back legs 2, 2 protruding above members 1. The chair also has the usual arm-rests 3 and back frame 4.

Members 1 and legs 2 or 2' form frame members which are mutually inclined and which, in accordance with the invention, serve as a support for the side table.

The side table, generally indicated at 5, includes a horizontally disposed tray 6 and a supporting panel 7.

Panel 7 is preferably made of resilient material such as sheet metal, synthetic resin and the like, and has at least two edges running parallel to frame member 1 and one of the legs 2 or 2, namely: the back leg 2' in the first embodiment shown. Said two edges are bent to form U-shaped clamp members 8 and 9 respectively, resiliently and detachably engaging frame member 1 and leg member 2 by nearly completely surrounding the same. Thus, support panel 7 is maintained by means of clamps 8 and 9 in the general plane defined by frame member 1 and legs 2 and 2' on one side of the chair.

The top edge of panel 7 is slightly below the arm-rest 3 and provided with two or more extensions which are 3,367,714 Patented Feb. 6, 1968 bent back at right angles outwardly from the panel and chair to form spring tongues 10 having a U-shape, when seen in longitudinal section, with a further right angular extension 11 depending from the free end of the return leg of the U of the spring tongue 10, said extension 11 extending back along a portion of the outside face of panel 7, so as to rest against said panel 7 and provide support for maintaining the tongue 7 and loaded tray 6 in substantially right angular relationship with panel 7.

Tray 6 is of usual fiat construction with upturn peripheral flange 12 and is provided near one edge thereof with rigid straps 13 secured to the underface of the tray, and provided with a generally rectangular opening for the removable insertion of the U-shape spring tongues 10, whereby the tray is held in horizontal position by vertical panel 7, and the panel 7 extends substantially along one edge of the tray. Thus, the tray extends laterally outwardly from the side of the chair.

The tray 6 can be easily detached from supporting panel 7 and used to fetch food and beverage and easily reattached to the panel 7.

FIGURE 4 shows a second embodiment in which supporting panel '7' has a lower frame clamp 8, similar to clamp 8 of the first embodiment, and similarly adapted to removably fit the horizontal seat frame member 1.

Panel 7 has further a spring clamp 9 adapted to fit the front leg 2 of the chair instead of the back leg 2', as in the first embodiment. Otherwise, the second embodiment is identical to the first embodiment in that the tray 6 is provided with straps 13 for removably receiving the U-shape spring tongues 10 depending from the top edge of panel 7.

In this case also, the edge of panel 7" provided with clamp 9' extends generally parallel to the front leg 2 of the chair.

The third embodiment shown in FIGURE 5 is designed to fit lawn chairs of the type having an adjustable back, the arm-rest 3 being provided with rack teeth 25 having an adjustable connection with a rod member supported by the top of the chair legs.

The chair legs 2" are characterized by the fact that they are mutually inclined at a greater angle than the chair legs 2, 2 of FIGURE 1. Thus, advantage is taken of the angular relationship of the legs 2" to attach the supporting panel 7 to said two legs 2" by means of spring clamps 9" which are formed by bending into a U the edges of the panel 7" running substantially parallel to the legs 2", clamps 9 being similar to clamps 9 and 9.

Panel 7 is also formed with outwardly projecting tongues 10", identical to tongues 10 or 10' and supporting the tray 6 in removable manner, as in the first and second embodiments, said tray being fitted with straps 13 underneath the same for receiving tongues 10".

FIGURES 6 and 7 show a side table wherein support panel 15 is permanently secured to the tray 16. Panel 15 depends downwardly from the tray 16 along the inner edge thereof and the two elements are reinforced by a rib 17. Panel 15 is otherwise identical to panel 7 of FIG- URE 4, having along its lower horizontal edge a spring clamp 18 adapted to fit the seat frame member 1 of the chair of FIGURES 1 or 4 and having at its front edge a spring clamp 19, also of U-shape cross-section, adapted to fit around the front leg 2 of the chair.

Panel 15 could be replaced by a panel-similar to panel 7 of the first embodiment, so that the side clamp will fit the back leg of the chair, or by a panel similar to panel 7" of the embodiment of FIGURE 5, in which the two spring clamps will fit both legs 2.

In all embodiments, it will be noted that the supporting panels have spring clamps, such as 8 or 9, adapted to fit over and secure the panel to two mutually inclined frame members of the framework of the chair, and are arranged such that the panels 7 will extend in the general plane made by said two mutually inclined frame members, and that the tray, whether it is permanently secured to the supporting panel or detachably secured thereon, will extend outwardly from the supporting panel in horizontal position at the side of the chair.

With the arrangement, a very simple and inexpensive removable side table is obtained for a lawn chair or p the like and, moreover, when the table is secured to the lawn chair, it is firmly held against both longitudinal movement forwardly and rearwardly of the chair and upand-down movement as well as swinging movement.

While preferred embodiments in accordance with the invention have been illustrated and described, it is understood that various modifications may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

1. The combination of a removable side table with a lawn chair or the like, said chair including a tubular framework providing a side scat frame member and a leg member having a portion extending upwardly from said side seat frame member and in the general plane of the latter, said side table comprising a tray and a supporting panel for said tray depending from an edge of said tray downwardly and substantially at right angles to said tray, said panel being substantially fiat and having two edges running substantially parallel to the respective side seat frame member and leg member portion of said chair and s ring clamps provided along said edges and resiliently and removably engageable with said respective side seat frame member' and leg memberportion so as to positively maintain said panel against displacement in all directions and to secure said panel in the general plane of said side seat frame member and leg member portion with said tray in substantially horizontal position and projecting outwardly from said plane on the side of said chair, said side table further including means for detachably connecting said tray to said supporting panel, said means including collars secured to the underside of said tray and U-shaped spring tongues protruding outwardly from the top edge portion of said side panel and resiliently and removably engageable with said collars.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,650,651 9/1953 vChoate 297-194 X 2,673,597 3/1954 Hitchcock 297-160 2,686,701 8/ 1954 Manczur. 3,048,441 8/1962 Rose 297416 X 3,166,354 1/1965 Sorensen 297-194 3,174,795 3/1965 Chapman et al 297-160 3,233,940 2/1966 Tooley 297-194 3,239,272 3/ 1966 Wilkins.

FOREIGN PATENTS 892,363 3/1962 Great Britain.

JAMES T. MCCALL, Primary Examiner.

DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Examiner. 

1. THE COMBINATION OF A REMOVABLE SIDE TABLE WITH A LAWN. CHAIR OR THE LIKE, SAID CHAIR INCLUDING A TUBULAR FRAMEWORK PROVIDING A SIDE SEAT FRAME MEMBER AND A LEG MEMBER HAVING A PORTION EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID SIDE SEAT FRAME MEMBER AND IN THE GENERAL PLANE OF THE LATTER, SAID SIDE TABLE COMPRISING A TRAY AND A SUPPORTING PANEL FOR SAID TRAY DEPENDING FROM AN EDGE OF SAID TRAY DOWNWARDLY AND SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID TRAY, SAID PANEL BEING SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT AND HAVING TWO EDGES RUNNING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE RESPECTIVE SIDE SEAT FRAME MEMBER AND LEG MEMBER PORTION OF SAID CHAIR AND SPRING CLAMPS PROVIDED ALONG SAID EDGES AND RESILIENTLY AND REMOVABLY ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID RESPECTIVE SIDE SEAT FRAME MEMBER AND LEG MEMBER PORTION SO AS TO POSITIVELY MAINTAIN SAID PANEL AGAINST DISPLACEMENT IN ALL DIRECTIONS AND TO SECURE SAID PANEL IN THE GENERAL PLANE OF SAID SIDE SEAT FRAME MEMBER AND LEG MEMBER PORTION WITH SAID TRAY IN SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL POSITION AND PROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID PLANE ON THE SIDE OF SAID CHAIR, SAID SIDE TABLE FURTHER INCLUDING MEANS FOR DETACHABLY CONNECTING SAID TRAY TO SAID SUPPORTING PANEL, SAID MEANS INCLUDING COLLARS SECURED TO THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID TRAY AND U-SHAPED SPRING TONGUES PROTRUDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE TOP EDGE PORTION OF SAID PANEL AND RESILIENTLY AND REMOVABLY ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID COLLARS. 